Blog

Blog Entry

Putting the “Private” in Public-Private Partnership

Public-private partnerships, or PPPs, are all the rage in the development community. Government donors and the private sector – including foundations, individuals, and corporations – can increase their impact by pooling resources and using best practices from across all sectors.

The GAVI Alliance is no exception. Founded in 2000 as a public-private partnership, they have generated almost a quarter of their funding from the private sector.

Last week in Davos at the World Economic Forum, the private sector re-confirmed their commitment to GAVI through the Matching Fund, an initiative launched in 2011 from DFID and the Gates Foundation. With $12.5 million in new pledges announced in Davos, the matched funds will provide GAVI with $25 million to support their mission of saving children’s lives.

As Bill Gates made his circuit this week through the media, highlighting the main messages of his annual letter, he reminded us that the private sector (including his foundation) are critical partners in development, but that doesn’t mean donor governments can step back. On MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Wednesday, Gates reaffirmed that despite the massive investments the foundation is making in global health, vital PPP’s wouldn’t have the resources needed without donor country aid.